Telephone dial illuminator



\ June 5, 1934. w. s. BAUM TELEPHONE DIAL ILLUMINATOR Fil ed .Nov. 23. 1952 INVENTOR, @7226; Ji s/um BY ATTORN E Y3.

Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to illuminating equipment, and has particular refernce to an illuminator adapted to be affixed to telephone stands having a neck and a dial, the latter being illumi- 5 nated by the attachment when such is desired merely by manually manipulating a switch forming a part of the illuminator.

One of the important aims of the instant invention is to provide an illuminator of the above 0 mentioned character that is formed to have a reflector partially overhanging the telephone dial when the casing of the illuminator is secured to the neck of the telephone by'an especially placed clamp carried by one of the sides of the illuminator'case.

Another important object of the instant invention is the contemplation of an illuminator for telephone stands that includes a polygonal casing, certain of the sides thereof meeting at an obtuse angle whereby positioning of the illuminator in operative relation with the telephone stand will cause one of said sides to overhang the telephone dial and reflect light thereon.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide an illuminator of extremely simple construction, having as a part thereof, unique means for supporting a number of dry cell batteries and also novel structure for opening and closing the circuit utilized for carrying electrical energy from the batteries to a lamp that is incorporated in the illuminator structure.

Minor objects of the invention will appear during the course of thedetailed specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a telephone stand equipped with an illuminator made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the i1 luminator alone.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the illuminator with the hingedly connected side in the open position, and,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical showing of the electrical circuit employed in the illuminator.

In describing the invention, like reference characters will be used to designate similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing, and

the numeral 8 indicates a telephone stand, having as a part thereof, a neck 10 and dial 12. It is with telephone stands of this character that the illuminator contemplated by this invention is to be used, and in forming the unique telephone attachment, a polygonal casing 14 iscreated from sheet metal or similar material, at least two sides of which meet at an obtuse angle as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Two adjoining sides are articulated through the medium of hinges l6 so'that access to the interior of casing might be aiforded when it is necessary to replace the hereinafter described batteries.

Another of the sides of casing 14 is made up of a number of inwardly converging panels 18 55 that terminate inwardly from the front face of casing 14 to form an opening 20 through which is projected a lamp 22 carried by the hingedly supported side of casing 14 through the use of lamp socket 24. When casing 14 is closed and lamp 22 moved into socket 24 through opening 20, a latch finger 26 should maintain the casing parts against displacement. One of the sides of casing 14 which meets the adjoining side at a right angle carries a suitable clamp used in affixing the-illuminator to neck 10 of telephone stand 8. In the instance illustrated, the clamp comprises merely a pair of spaced apart threaded fingers 28, each having a nut 30 which may be tightened to draw strip 32 tightly against neck 10.

When the clamp just described is holding the illuminator in position shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the same will overhang dial 12 and light rays from lamp 22 will be cast upon dial 12 by reflector panels 18.

Electrical energy is supplied to lamp 22 by dry cell batteries 34 housed within casing 14 and maintained therein by spring fingers 36. A manually operable switch 38 permits opening and closing the circuit wherein is positioned lamp 22 and suitable grounding and interconnecting conductors may be'supplied as clearly illustrated in Fig. 15; Switch 38 includes a rotatably mounted disk or drum 40 that is constructed of metal with a 95 pair of diametrically opposed blocks of fiber or other insulating material 42 set therein. A notch 44 is created in each block 42 and a notch 46 is formed in drum 40 at diametrically opposite points on the periphery thereof. Contact finger 48 carried by the hingedly mounted side of casing 14 and co-operating with socket 24 rides over the annular face of drum 40 as the latter is turned. Drum 40 is insulated from casing 14.

Another spring finger 50 is supported by the inner side of one end of casing 14 and has one end in yieldable contact with one of batteries 34 while the other end extends inwardly between drum 40' and one of panels 18 to engage the former at a point diametrically opposite to the point of engagement of finger 48. These batteries are interconnected by spring connector 52 which must be insulated from casing 14 as is fingers 48 and 50. To complete the circuit, socket 24 is grounded to casing 14 and one of bat eries 34 is likewise grounded to casing 14 through the medium of clip 54.

Manifestly, therefore, when switch 38 is turned on by manipulation of the knob which extends exteriorly of casing 14, the circuit will be from ground and clip G and 54 respectively, through battery 34, connection 52, battery 34, finger 50, drum 40, spring finger 48, lamp 22, and thence through a suitable connection 56 back to ground G.

It is understood that the parts of this illuminator might be made or" any suitable material and to present any desired size. The relation of the parts as mentioned herein, however, should be broadly maintained in order to present a desirable telephone attachment and while but one form of the invention has been illustrated and described. it is desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: I

1. In an illuminator of the type adapted to be affixed to a telephone stand having a neck and a dial, a polygonal casing having a reflector formed by one side of the casing; a lamp adjacent the reflector; battery within the casing; and a clamp for securing the illuminator to the neck of the stand carried by another side' of the casing, said reflector being in position to direct light from the lamp into the dial when the casing is secured to the neck by said clamp, said clamp-carrying side being hingedly connected to the remaining portion of the casing whereby the casing may be swung outwardly to remove the batteries carried therein without detaching said clamp.

2. In an illuminator of the type adapted to be aflixed to a telephone stand having a neck and a dial, a polygonal casing having a reflector having an opening therethrough formed by one side of the casing; a lamp adjacent the reflector; a clamp for securing the illuminator to the neck of the stand carried by the opposite side of the casing;

a socket for the lamp carried by the inner side of said clamp-carrying side; and hinges establishing connection between said clamp-carrying side and the remaining portion of the casing said lamp being projected through the said opening of the reflector when the casing is closed.

3. In an illuminator of the type adapted to be afiixed to telephone stands having a neck and a dial, a polygonal casing having a reflector formed by one side of the casing; an opening formed through the said reflector-forming side of the easing; a lamp socket carried by the casing side opposite said reflector-forming side; a lamp within the socket and projecting through said opening, said socket-carrying side being hingedly affixed to the remaining portion of the casing; batteries within the case; and means supported by the inner side of the reflector-forming side to releasably carry said batteries.

4. In an illuminator of the type adapted to be aflixed to telephone stands having a neck and a dial, a polygonal casing having two of its sides meeting at a right angle; hinges interconnecting the sides along their meeting line; a clamp carried by one of the meeting sides; a lamp carried by the inner side of said clamp-carrying side and a reflector having an opening therethrough formed by the other meeting side whereby when the illuminator is clamped to the neck of the telephone stand, light is reflected upon the dial of said stand said lamp being projected through said opening when the casing is closed.

5. An illuminator of the character described comprising a casing; a reflector formed by one side of said casing; hinges securing one of the easing sides to the remaining portion thereof; a lamp socket mounted on the hingedly secured side of the casing; a lamp positioned in said socket and projecting into operative position adjacent the reflector when the hinged side is closed; batteries within said casing; electrical conductors joining said batteries and lamp; and a switch, to open and close the circuit, extending exteriorly of said ca ing, said casing having resilient battery-supporting fingers therein, whereby to hold the batteries in place when said hinged side is open.

WILBRANT S. BAUM. 

